Apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. E. SIGKELS.

STEAM $TEERING APPARATUS.

No. 251,477. F691. Patented Dec. 27,1881.

Witwmes ink/070%? r 7/ f3 max/4M 25 $6M.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

1". E. SICKELS. STEAM STEERING APPARATUS No. 251,477. Fly, 2. Patented Dec. 27,1881.

' 77 027112950.) I ITLIUGIY/ZZT'F WWW. WW (5 112/0141 101 f/bA Wdm/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. SIOKELS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEAM STEERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,477, dated December 27, 1881.

Application filed April .23, 1879. I A

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. SIOKELS, of New York city, in the county and State of NewYork, have iuven ted certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Steering Apparatus;

and I hereby declare that the following is a.

full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompan yin g drawings, making a part of this specification,

The invention relates to improvements in steam steering apparatus, to be adapted in their construction and use to steam-vessels as now builtand navigated.

Heretofore, while the advantages ofsuch apparatus were recognized, many objections have been presented against the use of steam steering-gear, such as it was noisy, it occupied room, it was expensive, it was heavy, it was liable to derangement in hands of men unacquainted with its use, and it was wasteful of steam.

The object of my invention is to reduce or remove the evils complained of as follows: First, to reduce the cost of construction and space required by separate wheels, I widen the rim of each steering-wheel so that each can be used both as a hand steering-wheel and as a hand-whecl; second, to economize the room, I placethe engine under the pilot-house floor and connect it to the steering-wheels through this floor, thus usinga space thatisothut lttle value for other purposes, and by making the pilothouse floor a movable one over said engines I obtain a free access to them, as may be required for oiling or repairs, and the heat from the engine and pipes serves to warm air for the pilot house in cold weather, while in warm weather the heated air is allowed to escape; and, third, to correct the tendency of the working parts of the engine to vibrate when a sensitive valve-gear is used, I transmit the power through a cord or belt, so that as the engine Vibrates,thesevibrationsbeingtaken upfirst by one end of the belt and then by the other, the vibrations of the steering apparatus will n0t be synchronous, but partly in opposition to the vibrations of the engine, and thus tend to arrest said vibrations, and the tighteningpulleys used will not vibrate with the belt, but have an intermediate time of vibration, slipping on the belt, and thus act also to stop vibrations,

the whole effect being to lessen the tendency of the engine to vibrate, while the power is transmitted without noise. As a further means to check the tendency of the engine to vibrate, I increase thelap on the steam side of the valve, and then cut small notches or passages in the valve through this lap to permit the passage of a small amount of steam, only sufficient to move the engine for the purpose of keeping the vessel steady in running a straight course in good weather, thereby also saving steam,while the full throw ofthe valve is made great enough to entirely overcome this lap in rapidly moving the rudder, as in an emergency. When the rudder is put hard over by hand the strength of the steering-gear and the resistance of the rudder eiiectually check the steersman, as his power is limited; but in puttingtherudderhard over by steam, the power being much greater and the labor upon the steersman much less, it is important to notify the steersman as effectively as possible when the rudder is approaching the hard-over positions, more especially if he is in a hurry and not familiar with steam steering-gear. To do this I employ an elastic stop acting on the valve-motion through the hand-wheel controlled by the s tcersman, so that as the rudder approaches the hardover positions the resistance on this wheel increases, and thus he feels in a measure the position of the rudder; and to furthermore draw his attention there is also an alarm-bell to admonish him when the rudder is nearly hard over either way. These stops are rigidly connected to the steering apparatus, instead of to the valve-motion, so that if the steering-engine is disconnected from the steering apparatus it may be reconnected theretoin any position without altering the relative position of its stops and rudder. To check the transmis sion of the jerks imparted to the valve-motion by the unsteady movements of the steeringengine, I convey this motion by a belt, so that the slack and tight of said belt will modify the intensity of these impulses on the steam steering wheel, thus giving to the steersman a more even feeling of resistance while moving the wheel. To take up the slack of the belts, I employ ti ghtening-pulleys operated by wedges and connections running up to and above the pilot-house floor, so that the steersman can disconnect the steering-gearor adjust the tension on the driving-belt and permit the steeringwheels to slip, and thus lessen danger of breaking the ordinary steering-gear, as ordinarily constructed, in heavy weather at sea without leaving the pilot-house.

My invention consists in the means used to remove the above-mentioned objections, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 represents a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same. Fig.4 represents a vertical section on line as r of Fig. 3. Fig.5represents a. perspective view of the valve-link and block. Fig.6 represents one of the steam-chest valves. Fig. 7 represents one of the elastic stops. Fig. 8 represents a view of the enginecylinders, partly in section. Fig. 9 represents a section through one of the valves and openings to the cylinder.

In the drawings, A represents the upper deck of a vessel.

A represents the pilot-house floor. This floor is made movable over the engine to fa cilitate access to it. That portion is preferably hinged in parts that are pivoted on rods a, so that only so much will be removed as may be necessary.

To the deck A is secured a frame, B. It extends above the pilot-house floor, and supports the axle c of the barrel G and of the steeringwheels D and E. The wheel E is permanently connected to the barrel 0 and controlled by the engine F of the apparatus; out the wheel D is loose on the axle and controlled by the steersman, its object being, then, to regulate the action of the valves. It may be connected at any time with the barrel 0 by means of a screw-bolt, 0, having its bearing attached to said barrel, and capable ofentering one of a series of perforations, a", made into the hub of said wheel when it is desired to steer by handpower, in which case the wheel E is disconnected from the engine F by slacking up the band e, placed on the periphery of said wheel, and also slacking up the band (I on said wheel I).

The engine is a compact one, composed of two cylinders, E, made of a peculiar form, to save space and height in the throw of the piston-rod and crank. Each cylinder-top being recessed the whole depth of the cylinder, it is made to receive the stufliugboxfand connecting-rod f. The piston F and cylinder-bottom F are made to correspond in form with the cylinder-top. The connecting-rods act upon a crank-shaft, g, supported in a frame that is either attached to the cylinders or cast with them. On one end of the crank-shaftg is placed the grooved pulley G, to receive the band 0,

that transmits motion to the wheel E and-barrel C, which carries the steering chains or ropes 0. One of these ropes is fastened to one end of the drum, wound around it a few turns, and passed over pulleys suitably located to one side of the tiller or rudder. The other rope, 0 is also fastened to the drum, wound a few turns in the opposite direction from rope c, and similarly led to the opposite side of the tiller or rudder. The opposite end or; the crank-shaft g is tubular to receive the shaft h of the pulley H, to which it is connected by peculiar means that willbehereinat'terdescribed. This pulleyH carries the band (7, controlled by the wheel D, and is to operate or regulate the action of the steamvalves 17, and is under the will of'the steersman, who, in moving the wheel D, admits the steam to the engines, thus causing them to move and turn the wheel E in the same direction and to the same extent that the steersman moves the wheel I).

The tubular end of the crank-shaft has fastened to it a rcctangularly-grooved pulley, K, having near its periphery a hollow boss, k, for the purpose of receiving the pin 1 of link L. This link is formed with check pieces 1 between which the block 1 can slide freely. This blo k has a perforation, 1*, to receive a pin, it, projecting at-a small distance on one side of the center of the grooved pulley H. This latter pulley hasacrescent-shaped slot,7r',cut through its face,to allow said pulley to accomplish more than one quarter of a revolution each way from p a central position before it will strike the boss.

The link L carries on its face a pin, F, in such position on said link that when the link is in the center of its throw, as shown in the drawings, this pin is in line with the center of the shaft, and the valves will also be in the middle of their travel. Both the shafts h of the pulley H and the pin l of the linkL are retained in their bearings by countersunk nuts secured respectively to their ends.

Each cylinderis provided with a steam-chest, I, adapted for balanced piston-valves, in which the center opening l, is the port admitting steam to the steam-chest between the valves z' from a pipe leading from the boiler to the opening I in the under side ot'the steam-chest. The steam-chest has two openings on each side of the central one. The two openings adjoining the central one are the cylinder-openings for the admission and exhaust of steam, the upper one communicating with the top of the cylinder and the lower one with the bottom of the cylinder.

The two openings i farthest from the central one are exhaust-openings, conveying the steam out to th e openings J that are generally connected together into a single pipe to convey the steam away from the engines.

The valves 6 are made, as shown, with neg ative lap on the exhaust and a large amount of positive lap on the steam sides. In other words, the distance between the outer ends of the valves is less than the distance between the outer ends of the cylinder-ports to give negative lap on the exhaust side of the valves,

and the distance between the inner edge of the valves is much less than the distance between the inner edge of the cylinder-ports, so as to give a large amount of positive lap on the steam or admission side of the valve.

The object of negative lap on the exhaust is to permit water of condensation to freely cscape from the cylinder until the pistons have completed their stroke, and the object of a large amount of positive lap on the steam or admission side of the valve is to provide a space through which a small opening may be cut, as at i to gradually apply the steam for slight movements of the engine in steering without uncovering the whole line of the port. Now, assuming all the ports to be in the posilion as shown and at a state of rest, ifthe steersman desires the wheel E to turuin the direction of the arrow, he must turn the wheel D in this direction, thus causing the wheel H to turn, and with it its pin it, thus shifting the lower part of thelink toward theinner cylinder and causing steam to be admitted to the top side of the outer cylinder and the-bottom side of the inner cylinder, the engine then moving in the direction of the arrow. Asit turns it carries around the hub it, moving the upper end of the link also around toward, the inner cylinder. valves hack to their orignal position, if the wheelsman stops his motion, as he thereby holds the pin it stationary; but if he continues his motion the engine will continue to revolve until the wheelsman does cease to revolve the hand-wheel D. By reversing his motion the same effect will be produced in an opposite direction upon the engine and steering-wheel E.

For slight movements the valve will only open the notch i for the passage of steam, thus admitting but a small amount of steam, sufficient to move the engine the distance necessary to close this small opening; but for larger movements of the rudderagreatermovement of the steersmau is necessary to carry the pin it farther from the center, thus bringing a greater movement of the valve and opening the whole line of the cylinder port to give the necessary amount of steam, and thereby also more fully applying the steam as required, so as to economize its use. The tendency of the engine tojump too far is thus counteracted by the small opening i and long lap on the steam side of the valve. This tendency is further counteracted by the use of the drivingrope e, which stretches on the driving side as the impulse is communicated from the engine to the steering apparatus; and if the engine suddenly reverses in jumping too far it'brings the momentum of the steering apparatus acting in one direction against the momentum of the steering-engine in the opposite direction.

The jumping of the engine in steering is communicated through the link L to the pulley H; and if any rigid connection were made to the hand-wheel D the steersman would feel it in jerks. The rope (I modifies this jerking action upon the wheel, as I have found in practice. To carry the ropes on the steering-wheels and have as large a leverage as possible, they are placed in grooved rims D E, formed on or attached to the inner side of the-rim of wheels D and E, respectively. The advantages This latter motion will bring the of this construction are'that, besides'giving .the largest leverage, it saves the expense and room that would be otherwise occupied by separate pulleys. The rope e is conducted from the driving-pulley G to the rim E of the wheel E,-'over a pulley, M, mounted upon an arm, m, pivoted to the end of the crank-shaft g of the engine. This arm is capable of swinging up, and is retained by a pin, m, inserted into one of a series of holes in the frame B, and passingunder the end of said arm at, to take any large amount of slack that may occur by the undue stretchingof the band. Thisband passes from above the wheel M to the under side of a pulley, N, and from there over the rim E of the wheel E back to the engine-pulley G. This pulley N is capable of rotating on a short-shaft, a, secured in the end of an arm, n, pivoted at a to the frame B. The position of that arm and tightening of the band can be controlled by the steersman from above the pilot-house door A by a rod,p, attached to a wedge, P, inserted between the frame B and a lug, n

placed upon the side of the arm n. This wedge I? and its rod 12 are retained at any desired height by a pin, p, passing through said rod and entering one of a series of holes made in the side of the frame 13. By this means the steersmau not only can control the tightening ofthe band to permit the steering-wheel E to slip around when the rudder is struck by a heavy sea, so as to reduce the danger of breaking, but he can also detach the steering-engine from the steering apparatus without leaving the pilot-house.

The cord (1 of the hand-wheel D is conducted from the under side of the valve-pulley H over a stationary pulley, Q, pivoted at q to the frame B, and thence under a pulley, R, and over the rim of the hand-wheel D back to the pulley H. The pulley R carries a pin, 1", capable of revolving in the end of an arm, S, pivoted at s to the frame B. The inclination of I), buthe can also detach thesteering-wheel D from the valve-wheel H, and then, by means of thebolt 0, he can attach the hand-wheel D to the barrel 0 and steer by hand-power, standing in the same place as he had been accus tomed to in running by the compass X, which is already adjusted for local attraction.

To notify the wheelsman of the position of the rudder as it approaches the hard-over position either way, I have. attached to the appa-, rat'us two elastic stops, U, in the. following manner: Upon the end of thejournal c ofthe barrel G is attached a projecting spiral, 0 to en gage with pins projecting from the inner side spiral, so that as the barrel 0 and the steering apparatus and rudder move the segment will remain constantly connected to the rudder. No misconnecticn thereofwill be possible. The segment V is connected to the alarms and to an elastic stop, U, by cont ecting-rods V, having their extreme lower ends pivoted to arms V which are pivoted at r to the lower portion of the frame B. The elastic stop U is journaled upon the pivot '0, that connects the rod V to the arm V This elastic stop is of bell-crank form, as shown in Fig. 7. Its arm it carries a spring, 10 capable of giving way under the thrust brought to bear upon it by the handlesot'thesteering-wheelD. Theotherarm, n carries a pin, a at its extremity, and rests upon the arm V, where it is retained by its own gravity and by the shield 0 The upper end of the arm V and the elastic stop U being brought nearer and nearer to the wheel D by segment V, directed by the spiral 0, will bring the elastic stop against one of the handles of the wheel D, raise the end 20 and, pass ing beyond the spring M, will release it, allow ing said arm a to fall back upon the arm V and makearattling noise, that is repeated by the next spoke, but louder, this spoke passing the spring with more difficulty than the first.

vThe next spoke following will still have more difficulty to pass the elastic stop, as it is brought still nearer the center of the wheel D by the rod V; and the next handle will either have still more difficulty in passing the elastic stop or will be fully arrested thereby, thus giving a warning in good time to the steersman that the rudder is approaching ahard-over position. To admonish the steersman still more, .I have connected the segment V to an alarm-gong,

WV, to sound an alarm when the rudder is nearly hard over. For this purpose thegongis shown attached to the under side of the pilot-house deck, and upon thepin e is placed a weighted trip, W, the end of which will engage with the end of a spring-hammer, to, elevate it, and by passing beyond it release it, allowing it to fall back and strike the gong.

It is evident that the gong might be placed in any other suitable position and connected to the trip by bell-cranks and wires.

The pulley K carries a friction-band, K, connected to the brake-lever K thatis adjusted by the weight K, to absorb as much of the n10- mentum of the engine as may be found necessary.

A portion of the movable floor is shown in dotted lines, turned upright on one side at A in Figs. 1 and 2.

If the steering engines are placed lower down in the vessel and connected by a belt to.

steering-wheels stationed .above the upper deck, valuable room will be taken; but by increasing the length of the belts it will act and react with more elasticity upon the engine and steering apparatus, and the greater the number of guide or tightening pulleys used the less will be the tendency of the engine to jump 01 Vibrate, as I have ascertained in practice.

I have used as many as eight guide-pulleys and one tightening-pulley on the driving-belt and six guide-pulleys on the valve-belt, with two tightening-pulleys in cases where the engine was placed on the second deck,below the steering-wheels, and the belts guided up so as not to pass through the main saloon that was above the steering-engines and below thesteering-wheels. The belts, however, may be tightened by raising the barrel of the scoringwheels.

Theform of valvemotion shown in the drawings I consider the best, as it is extremely sensitive to the motion of the stcersman and the rudder, respectively, thus acting to keep them very closely in the same relative position in steering to keep a vessel closely on her course in good weather.

1 have made, in practice, the connection between the steering wheel or handle, through cams and levers, to move the main valve or an auxiliary reversing-valve to admit the steam. The connections from the engine to this same valve have been also varied. I have found it desirable to avoid friction, so

that the force exerted by the steersman to open the valve and the force exerted by the engine to close this same valve may be as small as possible,thus reducing the jerkingaction upon the stecrsman while he is steering; but ifithe working parts between the valve and the steersman are loaded with friction, as has sometimes been done, then the reacting force of the engine on the valve to close it will not be so sensibly felt by the steersman; but he will be obliged to overcome this load of friction to start the valve in steering.

As the space under the pilot-house floor generally extends forward and aft of the frame, the cylinders maybe placed in this space in any position found most convenientto suit the various cases that arise in practice, the drivingwheels and valve-wheels being properly connected to the steering-wheels, and, while a belt is best to make this connection, gearing may be used. If the cylinders are placed horizontal and work on cranks at right angles, as I have made them, less height but more deckroom is required than if they are placed, as shown, with the cylinders at right angles, working on one crank-pin.

In pilot-houses where the steersman stands on the upper deck a floor may be laid high enough to make room for the engines below the stcersman as he stands on the floor; or the pilot-house may be raised to make room below the pilot house floor; or the roof of the pilothouse may be raised to gain height and atloor added.

The movable pilot-house floor may be made in one or more pieces, so as to be readily taken up so as to gain access to the engine, and a portion may be allowed, as shown, to remain up in cold weather to permit the air heated by the-engines and pipes to rise up into the pilothouse. It more heat is required, a heating-coil may be added. Openings may be made on the side of the pilot-house, below the floor, to allow the heated air to escape in warm weather.

The elastic stops may be varied in construction to graduallyincrease the resistance to the tremepositions of the rudder by connecting a chain leading from a gong-trip to any of the parts that vibrate with the rudder, so that this chain will draw up as the rudder moves either way from the central position but I have found, in practice, it is best to use two gongs having different tones, one to strike for the starboard position and the other for the port position, as an additional notice in regard to the position of the rudder as it is being moved toward a hard-over position.

It is evident that air or other fluid under pressure can be used to work these engines, instead of steam. 'Itis also evident that, instead of grooved pulleys, plain pulleys may be used with the apparatus.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In a steering apparatus, the hand-wheels D and E, each provided with a grooved rim adjoining the handles, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 2. In combination with the upper deck and pilot-house floor of a vessel steered by hand and steam power, the steering-engine located on the upper deck and beneath the pilot-house floor, and the steeringwheel axle above said pilot-house floor, arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the hand-wheel D,the driving-cord d, and pulley H, connected to the crank-shaft of an engine operated by a sensitive valve-motion, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of the wheel E, drivingcord 6, and pulley G, placed on the crankshaft operated by a sensitive valve -Inotion, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In combination with the wheels D and E, each provided with a grooved rim, grooved pulleys placed on or connected to the crankshaft of an engine having a sensitive valvemotion, and tightening-pulleys, the cords d and e, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with the wheels D and E, mounted on a shaft above the pilot-house floor, and connected to an engine under said floor by cords d and e, passing over ti ghteningpulleys mounted upon pivoted arms, the wedges P and T, having rods extending up above the pilot-house floor, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination of the wheel D and cord d, controlling the valve of a steam steering-engine operated by a sensitive valve-motion, substantially as described.

8. In combination withthe wheel D and cord d, controlling the valve of a steam steering-engine operated by a sensitive valve-motion, and provided with a steam-chest, substantially as described, the valvet', provided with notches i in its extended lap, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

9. In combination with the axle of wheel E, the spiral c and segment V, provided with pins to engage with said spiral and bring elastic stops toward said axle by means of conuecting-rods, substantially as and for the purpose I described.

10. In combination with the axle and wheel of a steering-engine, the elastic stop U, having abell crank arm, a, protected by a spring and adapted to rattle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11'. In combination with the axle a, spiral 0, segment V, rods V, pivoted arms V and the handles of wheel D, the elastic stops a, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In combination with the axle c, spiral a", segment V, rods V, and pivoted arms V each carrying a trigger, a, the bells W, substantially as and for the purpose described.

FREDERICK E. SIUKELS.

Witnesses: I

E. E. MASSON, W. B. MAssoN. 

